Rated M for Mature.
Over the course of the semester, things remained fairly consistent: the couple met one weekend a month (except in March since Piper's spring break was the first week of April), Alex continued taking classes at a community college while working at Salvatore's, and Piper successfully managed her academics and her pregnancy. The two times Piper went back to Greenwich, her father stayed in their home despite her and Alex sharing a bed, which was a huge victory in their eyes. They were convinced that Diane had everything to do with that.
The brunette had proven herself to Bill—she'd cooked, cleaned and helped Cal with his homework. Diane wasn't thrilled about her daughter feeling like she needed to earn her keep, but she did appreciate the help around the house (and despite repeated attempts at telling Alex her help shouldn't be a form of payback, Diane knew it was a losing battle.) Piper's father mostly ignored Alex at home, but he allowed her to stay there, rent-free, so she could use her income to pay for classes (though Diane insisted upon contributing to her daughter's education, too.) Although she made just above minimum wage, Alex was still able to save 10% with her mom's generous contribution. She intended to transfer to a four-year college eventually and recognized that she'd have to pay a large sum even if that was two years from that point.
Alex spent much of her free time in the Salvatore's kitchen, learning how to cook from the professionally trained chefs. One chef in particular, Trevor Accardo, took Alex under his wing. He'd graduated from the Culinary Institute of America three years prior, and although he was only a sous chef, Trevor was charged with adding healthy variety to the Salvatore's menu. His style was right up Alex's alley, and she watched him like a hawk. For a few weeks, the brunette tossed around the idea of becoming a chef, but the prep work and long hours weren't appealing. She didn't know exactly what she wanted to do for a career, but she knew it would have something to do with food.
Despite her early protests about seeing the young, Ph.D. candidate psychologist from Queens, Alex continued talking to Vanessa once a week and admitted to her mom that it helped. Their first two sessions were unproductive because of Alex's stubbornness, but when Vanessa straight-talked her, the brunette respected her for not laying down the psychotherapy bullshit. Alex was learning to accept the darker parts of her life, though she didn't enjoy thinking about those shadowy days. She was also beginning to understand why she turned so heavily to drugs & alcohol—they allowed her to forget. The most difficult times in therapy were when Vanessa forced her to remember and reflect.
Alex hadn't drank a sip of alcohol or so much as smoked a cigarette since her return from Italy. She knew that when Piper had the baby, she wouldn't be able to smoke, so she just gave it up cold turkey. When she felt particularly stressed, under the advice of Vanessa, Alex went for a long walk or practiced yoga—two things she never dreamed of doing prior to moving to Milan years ago. (Not believing Alex's newfound appreciation for downward dogs, Piper made her girlfriend promise to practice yoga with her next time they were together.)
What Alex hadn't shared with anyone other than Vanessa was that just before Piper had arrived in Milan, she was within days of killing herself. She'd lost the will to live, and her therapist helped her grapple with the fact that it wasn't exclusively because of Piper; rather, it was because she didn't love herself enough to make good choices. Alex had despised herself for close to a year for ending things with her girlfriend, and that animosity bled into loathing Piper. It took the brunette months to come to terms with that, but eventually, she accepted it and took responsibility for her actions without blaming Piper.
Alex shared many of her therapy conversations with Piper, but she didn't think telling her girlfriend that she'd hated her at one point would make Piper feel good about herself. Besides, there was nothing the blonde did to warrant Alex's harsh feelings, and her lover would probably be terribly upset if she knew she'd unintentionally caused Alex pain.
Although Alex had seen Piper during Skype or FaceTime sessions over the past several weeks, she couldn't tell just how pregnant her girlfriend was on her phone or a computer. It wasn't until Piper came home for spring break when the brunette noticed her expansive belly.
Piper wobbled out of her BMW, and Alex rushed to her side. "Holy shit, Pipes, did you swallow a pumpkin?" She touched her protruding stomach.
"Ha, ha, very funny." The blonde leaned in for a peck on the lips.
She grabbed Piper's bag and strung an arm around her lover's back. "I knew you were big, but you're huge!"
Piper gave her a barbed look.
"Don't get me wrong—you're beautiful," Alex promptly recovered, tugging her girlfriend by the hand. "Beautifully pregnant."
No one was home when the blonde arrived, so they had the whole house to themselves for a couple of hours. Piper excused herself to use the restroom as soon as they walked inside (something she apologized in advance for since the baby was pressing against her bladder), and Alex, with a smile on her face, watched her girlfriend sway down the hallway.
Alex had been almost as horny as her lover the week prior to Piper's arrival, and she couldn't wait another minute to have sex with the blonde. She stripped down to her underwear and casually leaned against the doorjamb leading into Piper's bedroom, legs crossed at the ankles.
Piper walked out of the bathroom and was clearly taken aback. "What do we have here?" She eyed Alex up and down.
The brunette shrugged, one hand holding her head up as her elbow pressed into the doorjamb. "I'm feeding your libido."
"It's very hungry." Piper ran her fingertips down her girlfriend's chest and tits until both hands grabbed hold of her hips. "And you're very sexy."
Alex didn't adjust her position, but she leaned forward just a bit to kiss the blonde on the lips.
"Your body…" Piper pulled away, examining the woman in front of her. "You've always had a nice body, but this toned image is…" She stepped back into Alex's space and kissed a trail across her lover's chest, hands running down her stomach."
"Yes?" Alex smirked.
Piper looked at her with dark, ravenous eyes. "Hot."
It had taken Alex the better part of four months to surpass 'normal' health and get into shape, but she took it seriously by eating right and exercising. She knew that her lover would appreciate the effort.
The brunette pushed off the wall with her elbow and devoured Piper. Their hands roamed up and down the other's body, and Alex was shocked at how turned on she was by her lover's pregnant belly. She got on her knees, right there in the hallway, and pulled Piper's underwear down under her maternity dress, taking a big whiff of her pussy before diving in. The blonde tasted different—not better or worse, just different—and Alex assumed it had something to do with her pregnancy.
Piper put both hands on either side of the doorjamb as her head rolled back in ecstasy. "What if someone walks in?"
"Then they'll see me eating you out," she said between long, thorough licks.
Two minutes later, Piper came in Alex's mouth. She put one hand on her dark head, drawing her as close as possible, and bucking into her face. The brunette loved the way her girlfriend reacted to her touch, especially when she sucked on Piper's clit.
"Fuck," the blonde breathed as she came down from the high.
Alex wiped her mouth and stood. "You're so beautiful, babe." She kissed a line up her neck. "Even when you're six months pregnant and as big as a house."
Piper slapped her lightly on the arm. "Alex!"
"I'm kidding." She laughed and went in for a proper kiss. "Pregnant or not, you're gorgeous. I mean it."
The blonde gave her a tender smile. "Thank you. And thank you for…that."
She walked into the bedroom, and Piper followed her inside, shutting the door halfway.
Alex tilted her girlfriend's chin up with two fingers before exploring Piper's mouth with her tongue. The blonde backed her up until Alex's legs hit the mattress, and the brunette's knees collapsed, forcing her to plop on the edge of the bed, breaking their kiss.
Piper leaned down to kiss Alex again. "My turn." Piper crawled onto the bed with desire once again pooling in her eyes.
Alex grabbed her head a little rougher than intended and kissed her lover resolutely on the mouth. After several minutes of making out and with a little assistance from her lover, Piper scooted up until she was lying on her back, head resting on a pillow near the headboard. She crooked a finger towards Alex, who was still at the foot of the bed. "Come here."
The brunette had made that exact request to Piper many times in the past, and it turned her on to no end to see her lover replicate the demand. She slinked up Piper's body, having to raise herself more than usual over the baby bump until her center hovered over the blonde's mouth.
Without warning, Piper craned her neck up and licked her pussy.
"God, Piper!" Alex tossed her head back, exposing her long, smooth neck.
The blonde continued eating Alex with vigor, and it didn't take long for Alex to cum against her talented tongue. "Yeah, Piper! Ungh, right there. God, fuck, Piper!"
Just as Alex's orgasm subsided, they heard the front door shut. "Alex? Piper? I'm home!"
The brunette collapsed next to her girlfriend and they both giggled at the near interruption. "To be continued."
"Indeed." Piper smiled.
Although Piper didn't think she or Alex needed to take Lamaze classes, she'd insisted upon doing an online birthing session together while they were both in Greenwich. The brunette wasn't keen on the idea, suggesting that Lamaze was invented for wealthy Yuppies who thought that throwing money at breathing exercises would make the delivery less painful and more symbiotic. Nevertheless, Alex acquiesced with a small chip on her shoulder.
The one thing she did appreciate was the position of Piper sitting between her legs. While they watched the video and practiced a few birthing techniques, Alex got a little handsy with her lover. It started with her massaging Piper's back, but then her hands traveled around to her enlarged breasts. Alex leaned down several times to place a string of kisses on the column of her girlfriend's neck, and it wasn't until she started sucking on Piper's earlobe when the blonde finally called her out.
"Alex!" She twisted her neck around, and her eyebrows formed a V. "This is important stuff to help increase my confidence!" Piper hit pause on the video. "Stop messing around and help me."
"Alright, sorry." The brunette raised her hands in surrender. "I got carried away with your…big fucking tits."
Piper couldn't stop the grin from forming on her face. "You can play with them later."
She frustratingly combed her fingers through her dark hair. "How am I supposed to resist touching them…or sucking on them when they're right in front of me?"
Piper rotated her body until they were face to face. She bent her knees and put each leg over one of Alex's. "The video lasts another 30 minutes," she began, running her hands down her lover's arms. "If you can hold out until then, I promise to make it worth your while."
Alex arched an eyebrow and leaned forward to kiss her. "Promise?"
The blonde tugged Alex's lower lip lightly with her teeth, releasing it when there was no more give. "Promise."
They finished the video, both somewhat paying attention to what the instructors were saying, but there was no question where their minds were for the duration of the online course. The second the video ended, Piper was the one to ravage her girlfriend on the living room floor. She made good on her promise and helped Alex achieve an astonishing orgasm not once but twice.
"You do realize we're going to need to watch another video?" Piper commented, lazily rubbing her lover's bare back.
"Why?" she whined, lifting her head to look at Piper.
"Because neither one of us paid much attention to this one."
"At least you're not just blaming me." The brunette lowered her head onto her girlfriend's chest.
"You were the one who started messing around," she mumbled, fingertips dancing on Alex's back.
"You say that as if you didn't enjoy it."
"Oh, I enjoyed it," Piper began, kissing the top of her head. "But I was invested in the video until you distracted me."
"Bullshit!" Alex let out a short burst of laughter. "The second my lips touch any part of your body, you're like putty in my hands."
"Is that right?"
"Yes, and you know it."
Piper wormed her way into a seated position, back pressed against the bottom of the sofa. "While that may be true, it doesn't mean that I wasn't paying close attention to what the instructors were demonstrating."
"You could write the script for those videos, Piper!" Alex adjusted her position and rested her head on Piper's outstretched legs. She casually grabbed her girlfriend's left arm and braided their fingers together over her chest. "Don't tell me you haven't read at least five books and like a hundred articles about childbirth."
"Of course I have, but this is as much for me as it is for you." The blonde used her free hand to play with her lover's hair.
Alex twisted her neck and looked up at her with a serious expression. "Are you afraid that I'm not going to be prepared to help you deliver the baby?"
"Maybe." She shrugged.
The brunette sat up, placing a hand on Piper's cheek. "I will be the best fucking birthing partner you could ask for. Even if that means watching ten more boring-ass videos."
She smiled and cradled her lover's cheek, mirroring Alex's position. "Ok."
They closed the gap between them and kissed more affectionately than they had minutes earlier when sex was on the brain.
"One book that I read suggested using music to help with breathing techniques," Piper offered.
"That sounds interesting."
"The author said that you should have a soundtrack ready for when you go into labor. She also said that most hospitals will let patients play music during the delivery."
"Huh." The brunette stood. "Have you chosen songs yet?"
"No." Piper glanced up at her. "Where are you going?"
"To get my iPod." Alex left the room, returning moments later with the iPod and a speaker. She returned to the sprawled position she'd been in a few minutes earlier, head on Piper's legs forming a T with her body.
The couple spent the next hour, listening to songs and making mental notes about which ones had similar beats that Piper liked for stabilizing her breathing. Many of the tunes were from the 80s, but there were a few current hits that worked perfectly. Alex promised to make a playlist on both of their iPods in case they found themselves in a place when Piper went into labor where they only had one device. The brunette also promised to practice those breathing techniques with her partner at least once a week, even when Piper was back at college.
Piper eventually called her future supervisor, Sandy Pollard, at Time and told her about her pregnancy. Sandy reacted the way any person would in that situation—congratulated her ad nauseam, and then got down to what her situation meant for Piper's job. She was to report to work on May 20 (graduation was on the 15th) instead of June 1, and she'd work until she either had the baby or her doctor ordered her to stay home. If everything went well with the delivery, Piper would take her paid three weeks of maternity leave and another week of short-term disability for a total of one month at home with the baby.
The question that floated around Piper's head more than how she'd handle her job was the logistics of where she and Alex would live.
"Have you been looking at apartments in Manhattan?" Piper adjusted her laptop so she could see Alex better through the Skype portal. She was counting down the days until they wouldn't need to video chat anymore.
"I looked at three." There was a long pause. "I'm just going to say it, Piper, there's no way we can afford to live in the City," she sighed. "The places I looked at were shitty, hole-in-the-wall studios that still cost $2,500 a month in the Bronx."
The blonde shook her head. "I can't live with my dad again."
She shrugged. "We don't really have a choice."
"You, of all people, are telling me that you'd rather stay with my dad than stretch a little to pay rent in our own place?" She folded her arms above her protruding belly.
"It's more than a little stretch!" Alex set her glasses on top of her head. "And what about childcare? Who's going to take care of the baby?"
"You think my dad or your mom would help out?" She lifted her brows at the audacity of such a thought. "I wouldn't dream of asking them."
"My mom already offered to work part-time so she could help," Alex replied.
"You asked her?"
"No, she offered." The brunette looked directly into the camera. "What were your plans for the baby when you go back to work?"
"I don't know," Piper replied with some amount of culpability. "I guess I figured we could find daycare."
"For a one-month-old?" It was Alex's turn to raise her eyebrows and let out a ludicrous laugh. "First of all, that's next to impossible, and second, it would be expensive as hell."
"How do you know that?"
"Because I researched it," Alex snapped. "I looked into every fucking possible daycare option in Harlem, the Bronx and Queens, and we cannot do it…unless we go on government assistance, and I know how you'd feel about that."
A smile tugged at the corners of Piper's mouth. "You've done research?"
"Yes," she replied swiftly, expression still serious. "Not just on childcare, but on babies and all the shit that goes along with being new parents. There's a lot of crap I needed to know."
Piper never imagined that her girlfriend would embrace co-parenting since the meltdown in the Northampton OB/GYN Clinic parking lot just a couple of months earlier. She touched the screen, wishing she could feel her lover. "You did that for me?"
"For us, yes." She leaned closer towards the camera and spoke with sincerity. "I meant it when I said I'd try, babe."
The blonde's chin wrinkled as tears prickled in her eyes. She'd been quite emotional in her third trimester, so crying was a common occurrence.
Alex tilted her head. "Did you question that?"
"Maybe a little…" she sniffed. "I knew you meant it, but I didn't think you'd do research and stuff. You could've written me off when you found out I was pregnant."
Alex was silent for a moment, and Piper wondered if there was, in fact, a point when her lover might have written her off.
"I still don't know what kind of mom I'll be," the brunette replied, "But you're the one who wants to take me on. It's you, me and the kid for as long as you want me around."
Tears rolled down Piper's cheeks. "God, I wish I was with you right now."
"I know," she sighed. "Two more weeks."
They were silent for another minute while Piper wiped her face with a Kleenex and blew her nose.
"Better?" the brunette asked.
She nodded. "Did you talk to my dad about us living there for a little while?"
"No, but I will if you want me to." She pulled her glasses back on her face, shaking her head as her long, black hair fell into place.
"Yeah. Ok." She sniveled again. "I have to go to class. Thank you so much, Al. I'll talk to you this afternoon."
"Sounds good." Alex smiled.
Piper touched the screen again. "Have a good day."
"You, too, babe."
The blonde disconnected the Skype session and sighed. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew they wouldn't be able to afford an apartment in New York City, but she'd hoped beyond hope that Alex could find a way to make it work. Truth be told, Piper hadn't done much thinking about who would care for her infant after maternity leave—she had enough on her mind with school, her forthcoming job at Time, and managing a long distance relationship.